KZBlog

Following a new law in Kazakhstan that all sites with a .kz domain must have its servers physically located inside Kazakhstan’s borders, Google announced that it will redirect google.kz to google.com. In blog post accusing the government of Kazakhstan of trying to restrict the Internet, Bill Coughran, SVP, Research & Systems Infrastructure, wrote:

Some governments, however, are attempting to create borders on the web without full consideration of the consequences their actions may have on their own citizens and the economy…

We find ourselves in a difficult situation: creating borders on the web raises important questions for us not only about network efficiency but also about user privacy and free expression. If we were to operate google.kz only via servers located inside Kazakhstan, we would be helping to create a fractured Internet…

Measures that force Internet companies to choose between taking actions that harm the open web, or reducing the quality of their services, hurt users. We encourage governments and other stakeholders to work together to preserve an open Internet, which empowers local users, boosts local economies and encourages innovation around the globe.

Presumably the goal of the Ministry of Communication and Information’s new policy (which has been…) is to more easily enforce strict laws which went into effect last year. These laws define the Internet as another form of media and thus under the same laws that apply to the press, such as slander, restrictions on criticizing the Leader of the Nation or his family, and revealing state secrets. Furthermore the law holds site owners culpable for comments made on their sites (so please don’t leave illegal comments here). People leaving comments on blogs have been convicted before. Not to mention the shut down of Sascha Baron Cohen’s .kz website dedicated to Borat. Obviously, if the site has servers located in Kazakhstan it will be much easier for the authorities to shut down a site or get their hands around the sys-admins’ necks.

While this policy may not do much to affect small sites like mine (I’m ok not having a .kz domain), Kazakhstan may suffer as international web-based services like Google decide it is not worth it to rent a space for servers in Kazakhstan, transport equipment here, hire people to look after it, fill out all the bureaucratic paperwork necessary to register, put up with the fact that many sites are blocked by KazTransCom, and find qualified IT workers here. Some have argued that the new law will boost the economy, but frankly I suspect centers that host servers don’t usually hire a lot of people or do a lot of business. It’s basically a room with a lot of computers and a guy to make sure nothing breaks (Am I correct? Narcogen and Chris Merriman, I’m looking at you).

So what will happen is that web services will not provide customized information and services for Kazakhstan. For example, google.kz gives consideration to Kazakh-language and Russian language resources and .kz resources in its search results. Google.com not so much. Online retailers could offer .kz sites that highlight products of interest to local consumers as well as information about Kazakhstani suppliers, distributors and contacts. Airlines could feature flights in and out of Kazakhstan. And so on. And the benefit is simply that if a website does a bad, bad thing, Kazakhstan can punish them more effectively. Of course, many web companies may be willing to locate a server here, but balk at the idea that they are being treated as potential law-breakers.

In short, the authorities are once again putting control and fear ahead of services to the population and economy development.

Global Voices has already put up an article on this with some great commentary from Kazakhstani bloggers and a funny cartoon.